


The Firelord and His Ambassador are Fucking

by ClarissaGeorge



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ambassador Sokka (Avatar), Didn't Know They Were Dating, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Fluff, M/M, Minor Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Misunderstandings, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26281672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClarissaGeorge/pseuds/ClarissaGeorge
Summary: You would think that Sokka would know that hair was an important part of Fire Nation customs, considering he was the ambassador. He doesn't. Chaos ensues.Or,Sokka keeps touching Zuko's hair. He likes how it smells and how silky it is. In the Southern Water Tribe, touching one another's hair was normal, encouraged actually. The Fire Nation is different, however. And that his how Sokka has unwittingly convinced the entire Fire Nation that Sokka and Zuko are dating.Or,Lowkey five times Sokka unknowingly did something with hair that is wildly scandalous and one time he does it on purpose.
Relationships: Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 32
Kudos: 992





	The Firelord and His Ambassador are Fucking

**Author's Note:**

> Hehe! I got an idea and I've decided to run with it. I have another Zukka (and minor Mailee) fic if you want to check it out. It's called It's Not Like That, if you're curious.

Since Sokka of the Water Tribe has become the ambassador, the court officials, servants, and maids have realized that Zuko had been happier than they've ever seen him. 

The servants and maids, many of whom had been around since Zuko was a child, had never seen him smile so much or laugh as hard as he did with Sokka.

The ambassador was a friendly, outgoing person. He was polite and didn't treat them like any less of a person. He seemed to be a great friend to their Firelord. Trustworthy and decent. A perfect friend for the Firelord. That is until they caught them together on the training grounds.

Zuko grinned, blocking Sokka's sword with his own dual ones. It was late afternoon, and Zuko was avoiding his duties. There were only so many meetings to go to and formal documents to sign. 

"Keep up, your Flameness," Sokka said, rolling out of the way of Zuko's swords. "You're slowing down in your old age."

Zuko scoffed, lunging at Sokka with renewed zeal. 

"We're the same age!" 

Their sparring session went on until Zuko tripped Sokka, who fell flat on his back. The sun beamed down on them as sweat dripped down their forms.

"Damn!" Sokka said, grabbing Zuko's offered hand. "I thought I had you this time."

Zuko just smiled and went to grab a towel to wipe his sweat. When he turned around, Sokka's hair was out of its wolf tail, the tie around his wrist.

Zuko didn't think much of it. They were friends, and during their time traveling together, Sokka had let his hair down many times. Zuko and Sokka settled down on the bench for a moment's rest. They bickered and challenged each other to a rematch. They were the perfect example of friendship.

From their perspective, at least.

The guards stationed at the training yard had shifted their gaze downward as soon as Sokka's hair had been let down. They waited to hear the Firelord say something about it, but he didn't address it.

The first guard looked over at the second guard.

"Ambassador Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe just let down his hair," the first guard whispered, keeping his gaze on the floor. Hair wasn't supposed to be seen down by just anyone.

"Is that... allowed? If the ambassador let his hair down in front of the Firelord, then does that mean they're...involved?" The second guard said, keeping his head bowed. He didn't dare lift his gaze, lest he sees the Firelord's speculated boyfriend's hair.

"Well, we shouldn't assume," but a small smile made its way onto the guard's face.

The second guard hummed skeptically but kept his thoughts to himself. There was no way anyone would be that casual in taking out their hair if they weren't  _ involved _ .

Whispers of the rumor made its way around the palace. Although many of the servants and guards disregarded it as merely idle gossip, they all heard of the incident.

Sokka and Zuko, however, were oblivious.

It had been several days since the training incident, and the gossip had died down. Other than the Water Tribe Ambassador and the Firelord being glued to the hip, no new incidents had happened. 

One of the new maids, Euna, was tasked with providing tea to the Firelord. She always had an ear trained for gossip, but the training incident was the only fascinating thing that had happened for months. Life in the palace wasn't as scandalous as it was rumored to be. Euna scurried to the Firelord's chambers, knocking on the door. Giggling was heard inside, which puzzled Euna. In the few months that Euna had worked in the castle, she had never heard him laugh. Ever. 

The door was swung open, and the ambassador and the Firelord stood there side by side. 

"Ah, thank you, Euna," the Firelord said, inclining his head to her. The Firelord was one of the nicest nobles she had ever met. He remembered her name and treated her like a person. Unlike many of the nobles, she had worked for. She shuddered at the thought of the warlord who stared at her like a piece of meat. 

The ambassador thanked her before glancing at the Firelord. Silently, the Water Tribe man brushed the Firelord's hair over his shoulders. The Firelord flushed. They said their goodbyes before shutting the door gently.

Euna was frozen, rooted to the ground. It was a small, quick gesture, but it was also a small, very  _ intimate _ gesture. Another servant walked down the hallway, stopping once they saw Euna outside of the Firelord's chambers.

"Euna? What are you doing? Shouldn't you be in the kitchens?"

Euna didn't say anything, her copper-colored eyes fixated on the door.

"Euna?" The servant repeated, touching her shoulder. As if coming back to life, Euna turned towards the servant. He had a concerned, puzzled look on his face. Without a word, Euna grabbed his arm and pulled him farther away from the Firelord's chambers, lest he overhears.

"The ambassador and the Firelord are intimate!" She nearly yelled, finally getting it off of her chest. She squealed, jumping up and down. The palace was a much more scandalous place than she had thought.

It wasn't long before the next incident happened. By this time, the entire palace knew of the Firelord and the ambassador's secret romance. Well, except the Firelord and the ambassador. 

A few days later, Sokka and Zuko were in the middle of a banquet. Sokka was the life of the party, another reason why Zuko liked him there so much. Sokka was charming and talkative. He gracefully shifted the conversation away from Zuko and towards other topics.

Dinner parties were Zuko's worst nightmares, but Sokka made everything better. 

The Southern Water Tribe man acted out a story. His stories were always dramatic, chock full of innuendos and gestures that made them all the more enrapturing.

"And we pulled on the line and a seal  _ this big  _ was yanked out the water," Sokka said, flinging his arms wide and hitting Zuko's topknot in the process. The table fell silent. Sokka's eyes widened as the royal hairpiece tumbled out of Zuko's hair. 

Sokka grabbed the hairpiece before it hit the ground, eliciting several gasps. The Water Tribe boy assumed it was because of his agility. It was not.

The royal hairpiece, worn only by the Firelord, was only supposed to be touched by significant others and family unless it was during a coronation.

"Sorry!" Sokka exclaimed, cheerfully, unable to realize what he had just done. Zuko gaped as not only did Sokka  _ touch the royal hairpiece _ , he also  _ put it back in place _ . 

Innocent hands fixed the Firelord's hair, brushing away flyaways. Once Sokka was finished, he turned back to the Fire Nation nobles. It was as if nothing was amiss, and to Sokka, it wasn't. 

Sokka finished his story, but the excitement and chatter had turned onto a different topic. The Firelord and the ambassador were courting.

Sokka finally heard whispers of him touching Zuko's hair and wearing his out. He didn't think it to be a big deal. He wore his hair out all the time when he traveled all over the world. It didn't seem like such a big deal. 

Sokka thought on it a bit more before turning to Zuko, who was signing official courtly documents. Very boring official stuff.

"Zuko," Sokka said, waiting until Zuko looked up at him to continue. "How do I look with my hair down?"

Zuko's face turned a deep red as he struggled to answer. 

"You, well, when your hair, um."

It took the Firelord several, long minutes to come out with a coherent sentence. 

"You look nice, um, different. A good different."

The ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe pondered on it. He looked good, then with his hair down. Maybe the rumors were about how sexy he looked with his hair down.

Sokka nodded to himself. He did look good with his hair down. He should do it more often, he concluded.

But what was with the whispers of him touching Zuko's hair? Was it a cultural thing? Sokka thought back on him reading Fire Nation customs. He remembered etiquette and how to address different people of different ranks. He vaguely remembered an entire chapter dedicated to hair, but Aang had invited him penguin sledding that day. There was no way he was going to miss penguin sledding in lieu of reading stuffy Fire Nation etiquette books. Sokka shrugged. It was most likely because Zuko wasn't close to anyone enough to touch him. Sokka beamed, getting an odd look from Zuko. He liked being the closet person to Zuko. 

Eventually, Sokka pulled Zuko away from his Firelord duties in exchange for a day of sun, sand, and sea.

"Come on, Zuko!" 

Sokka bounded ahead to where their belongings were already set up. Zuko needed a vacation with his friends (and his accidental boyfriend), and on Agni, he was going to get it!

Mai, Ty Lee, Suki, and the GAang were there waiting for them. Zuko would never say it out loud, but he was glad that he could get away from being the Firelord, even if it was only for a day.

The sand was warm on Zuko's legs as he sat on the sand, watching his friends. Katara and Toph sparred, wet sand flying here and there. Suki and Sokka raced in the water. Aang was busy making a gigantic sand person that looked suspiciously like the Katara. He shifted his gaze over to the two Fire Nation girls. Mai was underneath the beach umbrella, and Ty Lee did acrobatics around her. Every so often, however, Ty Lee would dunk underneath the umbrella with Mai. When she emerged, Mai had a small smile gracing her lips, and Ty Lee was giggling. Zuko thought that maybe it should have been awkward, seeing his ex-girlfriend kiss someone else, but he thought it was sweet. Mai was happy. 

Sokka settled down next to Zuko, and Zuko couldn't help letting his gaze wander. Sokka wore a  _ tiny _ loincloth that exposed his powerful thighs. He was shirtless as well, and water droplets rolled down his chest before getting soaked up by the loincloth. 

"How come you aren't over there? Making sand people or sparring?" Sokka asked, slicking his hair back from his face.

"I'm happy here...with you. Just watching everyone. Being the Firelord is busy and stressful, but being here is just like old times."

They sat in comfortable silence, watching as the sky turned from blue to purple to orange as the sun set.

Sokka reached over and set a hand on Zuko's head. Zuko tensed, nervously looking at Sokka, who was calm.

In the Southern Water Tribe, touching one another's hair was normal. Encouraged, actually. It was a sign of close friendship and used to comfort others. 

In the Fire Nation, however, hair was only touched by a lover or family member. Handling someone else's hair was the ultimate sign of intimacy and usually indicated a deep personal bond. 

Zuko's heart stuttered in his chest as he realized what Sokka was doing. He was the ambassador. He obviously knew what that meant to them. Were they...dating now? Is that what Sokka was trying to do?

Sokka carded his fingers through Zuko's soft, silky hair, unbeknownst Zuko's internal panic. 

Eventually, Zuko leaned into Sokka's touch. It was nice getting his head scratched. Especially by the man he had had a long-standing crush on. Zuko looked up to see Mai and Ty Lee looking at them. Ty Lee giggled, and Mai nodded her head. In the years that Mai and Zuko had dated, they had never touched each other's hair. 

Zuko smiled softly to himself. Beach day was the best day.

When Zuko went back to the castle, he had a pep in his step. The days after the beach, Zuko was glued to Sokka's side, even more than usual. The maids giggled about it in the halls, and the court officials sneered about it, but otherwise, no one had commented on it. The entire country was convinced that the Firelord and his ambassador were dating. Well, except the ambassador himself.

Sokka was puzzled. Ever since beach day, Zuko had been closer than usual...not that he was complaining. The maids giggled and scurried past whenever they walked anywhere together. It made him nervous, but Zuko seemed to be unbothered. 

Within a week, the entire Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribes knew that the Firelord was dating his ambassador. That also meant the GAang knew. Toph burst into the castle first, followed by Aang, Katara, and Suki. Toph demanded they were to be taken to the Firelord, but the Firelord was nowhere to be found. 

Every few months, the Firelord disappears. Before the sunrises, even before the servants are awake, the Firelord sneaks away to a secret place. He's gone from the time the sun rises to when it sets, and no one ever knows where to find him.

"Well, I'll go find him then! He's probably with Snoozles anyway!" Toph yells, stomping her feet. The marble floor cracks under her heavy footfalls.

"H-hold on! The Firelord will be back by sunset. Please wait, I'll fetch some tea," One of the maids said, visibly anxious. 

Toph was ready to argue, but Katara laid a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, Toph," Katara said, smiling at the young maid. "That would be lovely. Thank you."

Toph huffed, impatient and irritated.

Somewhere in a nearby Fire Nation city, Zuko and Sokka wandered around freely. No longer the Firelord and the ambassador. Just Sokka and Zuko. Zuko and Sokka. 

Zuko clasped Sokka's hand in his own, surprising the Water Tribe boy. They had never held hands before, let alone in public, but right then, it felt right. Sokka grinned and dragged Zuko through the city. Together they ran, tasting street foods, pissing off the traveling cabbage vendor, and just being free. 

It was a fun-filled day for Sokka. It was their first date for Zuko.

As they walked back to the palace, hand-in-hand, Sokka spoke.

"how come you don't wear your hair down anymore?" 

Zuko's brows furrowed, puzzled. Fire Nation customs, of course, would have been the default answer, but Zuko thought Sokka meant, "Why don't you wear your hair down  _ around me _ anymore?"

Zuko coyly moved closer, close enough to feel Sokka's breath hit his face. It smelled spicy, like fire flakes. Zuko wondered what his lips would taste like.

"Should I?" Zuko said, already reaching up to undo his topknot. Sokka gawked as his best friend's hair tumbled down to his shoulders. Longer than it was four years ago, it framed Zuko's face.

"Oh," Sokka murmured, fingering Zuko's locks. They were just outside of the palace walls, far enough from people. The moon rose brilliantly in the air, stars shining brightly around them. By then, their chests were pressed together, and their breaths mingled. Sokka looked down at Zuko's lips. Perfectly pink. He leaned in.

Suddenly, a boulder came flying at them. Zuko, who saw it out of the corner of his eye, sent a jet of fire at it. Dirt and stray pebbles rained down on them as they looked up to see their assailant.

A furious blind earthbender jumped down behind them. Toph socked them both hard in the arms.

"Why didn't you tell us you guys were dating?!" Toph yelled, more angry than hurt. "I had a bet going!"

Zuko looked sheepishly at the ground, but Sokka gaped.

"Dating?!"

Sokka  _ really _ should have skipped out on penguin sledding.

"Sokka, you're the  _ ambassador _ ," Katara said, pacing around the room. They were gathered in Zuko's bedroom, for lack of a better place, away from eavesdropping ears. They were scattered around the room. Sokka and Zuko were on opposite sides of the room, refusing to look at one another.

"I-I don't know!" Sokka exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "I went through all of the rules and the training. I know the etiquette and everything, but there was this long chapter on hair, and I didn't think it was that important, and then  _ Aang _ invited me to go penguin sledding, so I...." Sokka trailed off. Aang scratched his head sheepishly and tiptoed out the door.

"...skipped it," Zuko finished, from where he was, leaning against his desk. His hair was tied up in a hasty top knot. They made eye contact for a brief moment before Sokka looked away. "You saw an entire chapter on an important part of our culture, and you skipped it."

Sokka sighed, rolling his eyes. Well, when it was said that way, it sounded awful.

"It's not like anything bad happened. So what if a few people think that we're dating? We could just set the record straight."

Zuko took a slow, deep breath in. The air was tense. Suki sensed it first and tapped Katara on the shoulder whom then led Toph out, despite her protests. It was a private conversation.

"A few-," Zuko's fingers sparked with flame. "Sokka! The entire country thinks we're dating! Your entire country thinks we're dating! I thought...!" Zuko's anger fizzled out. It left his sad and empty. It was all those weeks of dating. Of being by Sokka's side, not just as his friend, but as his lover. But it turns out it was just a misunderstanding.

"You thought...?" Sokka urged, slowly moving his way over to the Firelord.

"I thought we were dating." Zuko tried to sound angry, but it just came out flat and sad. 

"Oh."

Zuko's anger flared up again. Was that all Sokka had to say? No apology or anything? Just "oh"?

"Oh?!"

Sokka looked at Zuko earnestly.

"Let's date then."

The grasshopper-crickets outside filled the silence that emerged after Sokka had said that. Zuko's brain short-circuited. Of all the things that Zuko thought Sokka would respond, it was not that.

"Zuko?" Sokka said, taking another step closer.

"Yes." Zuko blurted out, face burning. "Let's date."

Firelord Zuko of the Fire Nation and Ambassador Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe formally made the announcement that they were dating the following day.

Toph was happy for them but grumbled. She had lost her bed to Katara, who had said that Sokka wouldn't date Zuko without telling her first.

The whole country seemed to rejoice, not only for their Firelord, who they quickly became loyal to, but also for their country, breaking away from old homophobic laws set by Firelord Sozin.

Old council members and nobles grumbled about it, of course. The Firelord was would never have a natural-born heir if he continued as he was. He was weakening the throne, leaving it vulnerable. He was ruining his great-grandfather's legacy. Zuko, however, couldn't care less. 

Sokka and Zuko laid in Zuko's bed, cuddled up against each other. Months had passed since their incident, and they  _ officially _ started dating. Zuko was just beginning to drift to sleep when he felt Sokka messing with his hair.

"Sokka? What are you doing?"

"Shh. Go back to sleep," Sokka whispered, carding through Zuko's locks, but Zuko was already awake.

"Sokka?"

Sokka sighed as Zuko sat up to meet his eyes. 

"In the Southern Water Tribe, we usually braid a piece of our lover's hair to signify their, uh, marital status." Sokka blushed, fiddling with the sheets. "I read the chapter on Fire Nation hair customs, by the way. I violated half of them, didn't I?"

Zuko smiled, leaning over to kiss Sokka neatly on the mouth. Zuko was almost overwhelmed by the love that he felt in his heart. 

"You did."

The young couple laughed, their eyes twinkling. 

"So...," Zuko started, nudging Sokka gently in his side. "Marital status, huh?"

Sokka's face lit up in a furious red blush. He swatted at Zuko, who allowed himself to get hit, too busy laughing to dodge. 

The next day, both Zuko and Sokka proudly wore matching braids in their hair, much to the chagrin of the court. They weren't getting married any time soon. Too many logistics to work out, and they wanted to enjoy just being together without all the new titles and expectations.

(What would Sokka be called anyway? Not the Firelady, of course. So, Firelord as well? Waterlord? Fire Consort? See? Too many logistics.)

As Sokka and Zuko walked hand-in-hand through the hallways, one of the servants gasped.

He abandoned his shift, running to the cluster of servants further down the hall. They raised an eyebrow at him. The tall, lanky servant always came up to them with useless anecdotes of what he had seen or heard.

"Guys!" He panted, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I think, and don't freak out, but I think the Firelord and his ambassador are fucking."

**Author's Note:**

> Did I accidentally make Sokka lowkey have a hair kink? Ummmmm. Maybe. My bad lol. Also, I did not proof read. It took me three days to write this and I do not care enough anymore. Anyway. Thanks for reading! Leave a kudos or a comment if you want <3


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